Device and method for facilitating recycling

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a device for recycling a payment card, which can include a payment card receiver for receiving a payment card that has a substrate and an information-saving component, an image capture device configured to identify a location of the information-saving component on the substrate, a separating device configured to remove the information-saving component from the substrate, and a storage portion configured receive the substrate and the information-saving component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for facilitating recycling of a card via a recycling receptacle, the method comprising:
 receiving the card at the recycling receptacle, the card comprising a substrate, a first data portion, and a second data portion; 
 receiving, from an image capture device of the recycling receptacle, image data associated with the card; 
 automatically identifying, based at least in part on the image data, a first location on the substrate associated with the first data portion and a second location on the substrate associated with the second data portion; 
 outputting instructions for a separating device of the recycling receptacle to remove the first data portion and the second data portion from the substrate such that the substrate remains substantially intact; 
 determining a material of the substrate; 
 determining that the material of the substrate matches a material associated with a third bin of the recycling receptacle; and 
 outputting instructions for an internal transport system of the recycling receptacle to (i) transport the removed first data portion to a first bin of the recycling receptacle, (ii) transport the removed second data portion to a second bin of the recycling receptacle, and (iii) transport the substrate to the third bin such that the substrate is positioned in the third bin in a flat configuration. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising outputting instructions for erasing, by the recycling receptacle, at least some data from the first data portion. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first data portion comprises a magnetic stripe and outputting the instructions for erasing the at least some data from the first data portion comprises outputting instructions for demagnetizing, by a demagnetizer of the recycling receptacle, the magnetic stripe. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising outputting instructions for shredding, by a shredder of the recycling receptacle, the second data portion. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second data portion comprises information indicative of at least one of a cardholder name, a card number, an expiration date, or a card verification value (CVV). 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 automatically identifying, based at least in part on the image data, a third location of a third data portion comprising visible text or numerals; 
 outputting the instructions for the separating device to remove the third data portion from the card; 
 outputting the instructions for the separating device to shred the third data portion; and 
 outputting the instructions for an internal transport system of the recycling receptacle to transport the shredded third data portion to a fourth bin of the recycling receptacle. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third data portion comprises a Europay/Mastercard/Visa (EMV) chip, the method further comprising cutting the EMV chip. 
     
     
       8. A device for facilitating recycling of a card, the device comprising:
 a card receiver configured to receive the card comprising (i) a substrate comprising a material and (ii) an information-saving component; 
 an image capture component configured to identify a location on the substrate at which the information-saving component is located; 
 a separating component configured to selectively remove the information-saving component from the substrate such that the substrate remains substantially intact; 
 an internal transport system configured to transport the substrate and the information-saving component within the device; 
 a plurality of substrate bins, each substrate bin being configured to receive card substrates in a flat and stacked configuration, the plurality of substrate bins comprising a first substrate bin configured to receive card substrates comprising a first material and a second substrate bin configured to receive card substrates comprising a second material; 
 a component bin configured to receive the information-saving component; and 
 a controller comprising a processor and memory, the controller being configured to:
 receive image data from the image capture component; 
 identify a location on the substrate of the information-saving component; 
 output instructions for the separating component to remove the information-saving component from the substrate; 
 determine that the material of the substrate is the first material; 
 determine that the first substrate bin corresponds to the material of the substrate; and 
 output instructions for the internal transport system to deposit the information-saving component into the component bin and the substrate into the first substrate bin. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 8  further comprising a demagnetization device, wherein the information-saving component is a magnetic stripe and the demagnetization device is configured to demagnetize the magnetic stripe. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the information-saving component is a Europay/Mastercard/Visa (EMV) chip. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the separating component is configured to at least partially deconstruct the EMV chip and the component bin is a first component bin configured to receive a first subcomponent of the EMV chip, the device further comprising a second component bin configured to receive a second subcomponent of the EMV chip. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the separating component comprises a laser. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the information-saving component is a first information-saving component, 
 the component bin is a first component bin, and 
 the separating component is further configured to selectively remove a second information-saving component of the card from the substrate, the device further comprising a second component bin configured to receive the second information-saving component. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 8 , wherein identifying the material of the substrate comprises:
 identifying, based on the image data, a financial service provider associated with the card; and 
 determining, based at least in part on the financial service provider associated with the card, a material composition of the card. 
 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 8  further comprising a trash bin,
 wherein the controller is further configured to:
 identify a non-recyclable portion of the card; 
 output instructions for the separating component to remove the non-recyclable portion from the substrate; and 
 output instructions for the internal transport system to deposit the non-recyclable portion in the trash bin. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether the card comprises at least a predetermined amount of recyclable material; and 
 in response to determining that the card comprising an amount of recyclable material that is less than the predetermined amount of recyclable material, reject the card.